Friday, 15 November 2013

Pop up to Crystal Palace Food
Market, on Hayes Lane, for some action
storytelling from 11:30 to 12pm. This costs £1 per child. After that, stick
around for some free crafting fun with books! The people from Untapped will be around from 12-3pm and
the weather is looking good for Saturday!

Whilst the weather is nice and the
autumnal landscape is beautiful, then take the family for a walk. We recommend
you check out the Capital Ring Walk. Section 4 is a pleasant walk
between Crystal Palace and Streatham. Check out the website to download a map
and directions which include facts about the area.

The walk starts at Crystal Palace
Train Station.

And staying in Crystal Palace, take
the little ones to the Crystal Palace Park
Farm, located on Ledrington Road, SE19 2BS. Open from 12 -4pm on Saturday
and Sunday, get the kids to practice their animal noises!

If Crystal Palace is too far
away, check out Vauxhall City Farm.
Little ones love talking to the animals. It’s open on Saturday and Sunday from
10:30 to 4pm.

To get there catch a 2, 88 or 196. The area is also served by the overground and
underground.

As mentioned before, it’s a lot harder
to find free or cheap things for the little ones to do as the weather gets
colder.

SUNDAY (17th November)

For those who like old vehicles and kids who like buses, visit Merton Bus garage which is celebrating 100 years! On this open day, there will a chance to have a look at some heritage buses and ride on one.

The event runs from 10.30am to 4.30pm at Merton bus depot, High Street, London, SW19 1DN and the 57 bus will take you from Streatham to the event.

Take a visit to the Tate
Britain and check out Liminal- a family
event every weekend between 11 til 3pm. Go to the information desk for details.
Website says it "invites families into a physical, material and social
experience of sculpture through touch, interaction and collaboration"

Wednesday, 13 November 2013

I think it's universally acknowledged that parenthood can be a little isolating at times, especially in those early days and particularly if you have moved to a new area away from family and friends. I know that this was true for me; a young baby, the upheaval of moving away from the support network I had AND a boyfriend who works long hours meant that I felt lonely about 80% of the time.

Starved of adult interaction and other parents who just 'got it' (and after a hugely unsuccessful trip to the Ritzy's Big Scream), I took myself off to Mumsnet where I had a stroke of luck - the only local group that was currently active? You got it, Brixton. I remember breathing a sigh of relief and feeling so thankful that there were people who were local and wanted something similar.

After a little hesitation I signed myself up and Marie - the Ambassador for the lovely Brixton lot - welcomed me warmly to the group. Since then I don't think I've made one official Mumsnet meet up - timing as opposed to not wanting to - but I have met up with Marie briefly (on a street corner to hand over cake - don't ask) and she was a wonderfully genuine person who I felt I could arrange to go for a coffee with any time. Now we are in touch regularly about how we are getting our with our respective babies and it's so good to know that someone is just there (for me anyway!).

When I spoke with Marie about the Mumsnet group, she explained why she put herself forward as the group ambassador and it turns out that she was feeling isolated too. With a friend from her antenatal group and another she'd met through Netmums, she started posting meet up dates and slowly but surely, more people joined the group. Now, meet ups are arranged every other week at baby-friendly cafes for people to get together with or without their babies - this for me was a huge weight lifted off my shoulders as Baby A goes off on adventures a couple of times a week.

So, if you are feeling a little lost and in need of some adult interaction or moral support - or if you just fancy meeting some new people - then go ahead and sign up to the group here - there will always be someone there and I believe there is a meet up arranged for tomorrow morning...

Friday, 8 November 2013

Those leaves have nearly fallen off the trees. My view over Croydon is starting to appear as the trees in front of my house shed their summer coat. Winter nights are coming in fast and the time for hats and gloves is rapidly approaching.

So, on with the weekend!

SATURDAY (9th November)

It's the time of year where everything is moving indoors.However the big outdoor event this weekend is the Lord Mayor Show! Always good fun to watch. It starts at 11am from Mansion House near Bank and features buses, coaches, tractors, vintage cars, fire engines, the list goes on!

If you still have energy. there are a free hour long walking tour of the city It starts at 3pm from no.1 Poultry which is near Mansion House and Bank underground station

For those in the deep south of London - hop on a train to London bridge and get a bus from there. Those north of the borough, climb aboard a bus;the133 will take you through Bank.

Staying in the city, St Pauls Cathedral isopen for free today. This is a chance to view one of London's architectural gems without paying an arm and a leg. If you do want to visit the gallery, that costs £5/£3.

Go and see for yourself what suits your family needs. If you do fancy a good bus ride or train journey then you'll find the National Gallery's Sunday Magic Carpet Storytelling is still running. Suitable for under fives, it runs at 10:30am and repeats at 11:30 am;

The National Gallery is located in Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DN. Hop on the number 3 bus or 159 to get there.